When I read an article in The Seattle Times, April 30, 2015, page A6, about Colgate-Palmolive Co. having to pay a jury-awarded $13 million for the wrongful death of a 73-year-old woman, I again felt the need to remind people that asbestos is still used in the United States of America. This woman (and millions of others) used Cashmere Bouquet Talcum Powder—on the market since the 1970’s. Who thinks of asbestos when they use a “gentle, soothing powder” on their skin? Here’s another heartbreaker—the three major makers of children’s color crayons used asbestos in the crayons for many years. Why? To make them smoother and stronger in those little hands. As a former art teacher, I saw these little ones gripping crayons, chewing and sucking on them, rubbing them across paper, their own faces and hands, and each other’s papers and desks. With 25 coloring children breathing and tasting crayons, a teacher cannot control every crayon all the time.

Consumers won’t see “asbestos” on the labels of most products. Why? Because people wouldn’t buy products with it IF THEY KNEW ASBESTOS WAS IN THE PRODUCTS, so companies don’t list it on their packaging. When I read The Western News, April 3rd article from Senators Tester and Daines, I responded with a public letter to the editor myself in The Western News, hoping that the senators would learn about the overturned ban on asbestos and work to get it reinstated, along with Senator Patty Murray of Washington State. Senator Tester responded with no acknowledgment about the asbestos ban; Senator Daines did not bother to respond—yet, and Senator Murray also responded—she is continually fighting for the ban reinstatement. I still have hope for the Montana senators to work for a reinstated ban because they know the horrible damage asbestos has done particularly in Montana. Read More→